Yoga for Anxiety
Anxiety impacts approximately 25% of 13-18 at some point (Merikangas et al., n.d.). Anxiety that no longer signals danger can become pathological when it is excessive and persistent (Upadhyay, 2016). According to Upadhyay (2016), this type of pathological worry known as anxiety is a major component of an unhealthy lifestyle. Excessive worry is an indicator of anxiety and it is believed that yoga is effective due to its emphasis on focusing on the present moment rather than focusing on the past or future (Khalsa et al., 2011). Yoga outside of psychotherapy can improve emotional regulation and mental health functioning in youth. Participants obtained skills to breathe and use movement to calm down and learned to pay better attention to their thoughts, body, and feelings (Beltran, et al., 2016). Another study conducted by Upadhyay (2016) found that after a 12-week yoga program adolescents saw a decrease in anxiety scores on Becks Anxiety Inventory and reported a decrease in tension, depression, and anger. Another unique form of therapy that is utilized for anxiety is Yoga-Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Y-BT) (Khalsa, et al., 2011). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a theory used in a clinical setting that targets maladaptive thought patterns to seek behavioral change. Y-CBT uses this therapeutic process and also incorporate yoga during the process. This is because CBT trains the individual to identify and replace maladaptive thoughts and yoga and meditation often reduce the tendency for the thoughts to happen in general. The study utilizing Y-CBT saw a significant improvement in anxiety levels and a significant decrease in symptoms of comorbid depression and panic in participants diagnosed with ...
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... limitations to the reviewed studies. It would be valuable to create a yoga program that was specifically for anxiety so there is clarity in regards to the methods used in the studies. Also, setting up studies with control groups would be beneficial. Finally, using randomized samples that are not convenience samples or individuals who have volunteered to be a part of the study would tremendously decrease the chance of bias and making it more generalizable to a population. Lastly, I believe that further research in regards to the benefits of physical activity and its effects on anxiety would be beneficial for regarding gaps in the research. It would be interesting to study whether yoga has an impact on anxiety or if other forms of physical activity such as swimming, running, or biking have a similar impact on anxiety that has been indicated from practicing yoga.
Streeter, C. C., Gerbarg, P. L., Saper, R. B., Ciraulo, D. A., & Brown, R. P. (2012). Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system, gamma-aminobutyric-acid, and allostasis in epilepsy, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Medical hypotheses, 78(5), 571-579.
Aerobic exercise is anything exercise that elevates the respiration, heart and metalobic rate for 20-30 minutes. Aerobic exercises include running, brisk walking, swimming and cycling. Stretching and toning exercises are slow and sustained, they decrease muscle tension, improve circulation, can help relax the body, they also help focus and center the mind in the present moment. Yoga is a good example of a balanced stretching and toning program, and there is increasing evidence that yoga has psychological and well as physiological benefits. Yoga can be compared to progressive muscle relaxation where a muscle is tensed and relaxed systematically through out the body to produce relaxation response which decreases stress and tension, increases strength and balance, increases flexibility, lowers blood pressure and reduces cortisol levels (Thirthalli et al., 2013; Weiten et al., 2012), it improves psychological well-being, yoga involves concentrating on the breath and body which calms the mind by switching focus away from worries of the mind and brings the person into the present moment, rather than on the past or future. It also increases bodily awareness so the feelings of tension and stress are recognised earlier and can be reduced sooner, yoga it self is exercise and so the usual benefits of exercise are gained too (‘The psychological
Mindfulness is used as a therapy to treat many problems related to mental health such as stress, anxiety or even eating disorders (Hooker and Fodor, 2008). In addition majority of techniques used in mindfulness originate from Buddhist traditions (Rosenberg, 1998, Cited in Thompson and Gauntlett-Gilbert, 2008). Professionals working with children in mental health settings may find mindfulness applicable. The different techniques used in these types of settings teach self-awareness, increased impulse control and decreased emotional reactivity to difficult events (Thompson and Gauntlett-Gilbert). Research conducted on adults has shown that these effects can be obtained in the long term which suggests that mindfulness can be applied to children who are going through developmental challenges and have still yet to encounter
Three mindfulness interventions scored the highest through a meta-analysis. The three are mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), exposure-based cognitive therapy for depression (EBCT), and acceptance-based behavioral therapy (ABT). Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). It is a person centered experimental and educational group intervention for participants to live more adapted lives (Klainin & Creedy, 2012). It uses mindfulness training, not judging, patience, beginner's mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance, and letting go. It is an eight-week program that involves mindfulness meditation focusing on moment-to-moment awareness with nonreactive and non-judgmental attitudes. Hatha yoga, body scan, and sitting meditation are several different types of meditations participants practice with this intervention. Exposure based cognitive therapy for depression focuses on creating a healthy lifestyle (Klainin & Creedy, 2012). The EBCT has three phases: stress management, activation/exposure, and consolidation and positive growth. Acceptance based behavioral therapy (ABT) emphasizes on promoting present moment awareness, encouraging acceptance, learning practicing adapted skills, and engaging in actions. The program aims to maintain and enhance adaptive behaviors by using self-monitoring, mindfulness exercise, behavioral assignments, and psychoeducation (Klainin & Creedy,
As the world leaps into the future, it seems that mental illness is becoming more of a problem among many people. One of the most common types of illness's among the current population is anxiety disorders. It is evident that there is a rise of anxiety disorder among the Western World. There are three main factors that contribute to this, they include our education system, technology and media, and the treatment and decreasing criticism anxiety patients receive.
While the research of Blumenthal et al. (2007) focused on exercise being effective in reducing self-reported depressive symptoms, Diaz and Motta (2008) and Motta, Kuligowski, and Marino (2010) looked at the positive effects of exercise on depression, anxiety and PTSD. The theory of exercise’s positive effect on mental health has heavily been focused on depression and anxiety, but PTSD is becoming a newer area of research as it contains not only depressive and anxiety based symptoms as well as other symptoms. Libby, Pilver, and Desai (2012) and Blumenthal focused their studies specifically on PTSD.
Everyday society assumes yoga is just a physical health practice that will make people substantially fit. Social media is making people believe that Yoga is mostly good for exercising in a social, trendy fashion environment. What society does not know is Yoga plays a huge role in emotional hygiene, more so than physical health, Yoga develops a healthy emotional stability for its participants that lead to a healthy lifestyle. Emotionally, Yoga can develop a healthy emotional lifestyle for its participants while leaving a person with more positivity, determination and strength in the human mind.
• According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which included a comprehensive survey on the use of mental health approaches by Americans, yoga improve quality of life; reduce stress; and lower depression, hence helps to stable the brain. • .Yoga encourages one’s brain to relax, slow the breath and focus on the present, shifting the balance from the sympathetic nervous system, hence responds in controlling major depressive disorder. McCall T. New York: Bantam Dell a division of Random House Inc; 2007.
Cognitive therapy approaches of psychotherapy have proved to be one of the most effective psychological approaches for a wide range of behavioral problems. “CBT teaches anxiety reduction skills that people can use for the rest of their lives. Research shows the
In a world full of skepticism towards the alternative, Yoga has created a place of growing belief for itself. As Timothy McCall, M.D. states in his book Yoga As Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health & Healing: A Yoga Journal Book:
What is missing from all of these therapies is a focus on the spiritual component of life. There is a definite lack of approaches that address the mind, the body, and the spirit. Yoga has recently emerged in the literature as a holistic mind, body, and spiritual method of intervention (Varambally & Gangadhar, 2012). CAM therapy of Yoga reviewed here seems to mirror established pharmacological agents, such as impact on neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, and monoaminergic, glutaminergic and HPA axis activity. In addition, CAM therapies are well tolerated and may help to alleviate side effects associated with conventional medicine. Thus, this proposal provides a rationale for further exploration of Yoga Therapy as form of CAM on anxiety disorders.
Thus, it has been deemed a complimentary modality for health illnesses. Harinath et al. (2004) considered at the effects of Hatha yoga in conjunction with meditation on cardiorespiratory performance, psychologic profile and melatonin secretion. The study was based on a convenience sample of 30 middle-aged healthy males. Half were the control group performing stretching for 40 minutes, jogging for 20 minutes in the morning and participated in physical games for an hour daily for three consecutive months. The experimental group practiced Hatha yoga and breathing for an hour in the morning and yoga, meditation and breathing for an hour in the evening daily for three consecutive months. They measured orthostatic tolerance, vitals consisting of blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate, lung function with spirometry, and psychologic profile with a questionnaire at baseline and after 3 months. In addition, blood was drawn throughout to monitor melatonin levels. The interesting findings were that the experimental group improved cardiorespiratory performance, psychologic profile, and increased in melatonin after three months of Hatha yoga, meditation and breathing practices. The other outcome measures were not statistically significant. Thus, breathing, yoga, and meditation practice may increase secretions of melatonin leading to improvements in the
Web. 13 April 2014. McCall, Timothy. A. Yoga as a medicine. New York: Bantam Dell, 2007. Print.
The pros of exercise can maintain the levels of stress and anxiety in a variety of ways. Simple exercises like walking around your neighborhood or on a treadmill can ease the amount of stress in your life. Scientists say that a 10-minute walk temporary reduces anxiety and depression levels by 25% over the next 5 years of your life (Exercise for Stress and Anxiety). This study shows how simple,...
The goal of this study was to identify the ways in which engaging in yoga practices would alter psychological well being, and allow people to engage more fully in their lives and flourish in health and happiness. The pre and post test set up of this study allowed the researchers to see the ways in which students had been affected by their participation in the yoga teacher training. Yoga training students were engaged in a four week program. They were administered tests and the beginning of the study, prior to engaging in the program, at the end of the program, after completion, and then again at a 3 month follow up. Multiple factors were assessed, however the significant and important ones which relate directly to our understanding of healthy, happiness and wellness and the course content are extremely